Nicky Hayden Memorial Ride takes place in downtown Owensboro

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - On Friday, over a hundred motorcyclists gathered for the Third Annual Nicky Hayden Memorial Ride.

Nicky Hayden, an Owensboro native who went on to win the MotoGP World Championship, died in 2017.

The ride is both an opportunity to honor his life and to raise money for his foundation.

“No matter where he went all over the world, he was named the Kentucky Kid,” his brother Roger told 14 News. “[He] just never forgot his roots.”

He said Nicky donated to local charities in Owensboro, and the foundation does the same.

[Related: ‘Kentucky Kid’ Nicky Hayden passes away after bike crash]

Before the ride, the foundation awarded over $3,000 for both CASA of Ohio Valley and Beverly’s Hearty Slice.

Mayor Tom Watson also presented a proclamation that established June 9 as “Nicky Hayden Day”. The date was chosen because it matches the number 69, which Hayden wore when he raced.

“It means the world to me and the family, [the community] just keeping his legacy alive and how much it stays there,” Roger Hayden said.

The ride departed from the Owensboro Convention Center and continued for an hour with a stop at Hayden’s gravesite.

They returned to the riverfront where Henderson Brewing Company was selling a commemorative Nicky Hayden beer bottle.

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